Interfaces in oxide-fibre-based composites

The behaviour of the fibre/matrix interface makes a composite being a material different from just a mixture of two constituents. Some important features of the interface have been known from the very beginning of research in the composite field whereas some new features are becoming known when deeper insight into the behaviour of composites occurred to be vital. Oxide-fibre-based composites provide clear illustrations of the primary importance of the interface in composite microstructures. Dealing with single crystalline oxide fibres in various matrices opens a number of new possibilities as well as yields new findings about a role of the interfaces in composites. A review of both the possibilities and findings is a subject of the present paper.